Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,131 per month in Geneva vs $3,482 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,472 per month in Geneva vs $5,449 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,814 per month in Geneva vs $7,416 in Meilen, rent included.

Geneva costs about 19% more than Meilen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Geneva and Meilen sit above the global median – Geneva by 210%, Meilen by 162%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.23 CHF 29.24

$30.45 CHF 24.58

18.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 118

$146 CHF 117

0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.77 CHF 15.14

$18.82 CHF 15.19

-0.27%

Cappuccino

$6.00 CHF 4.84

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-7.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 CHF 4.39

$6.03 CHF 4.86

-9.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 CHF 3.90

$5.14 CHF 4.15

-6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.03 CHF 8.09

$8.76 CHF 7.07

14.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.48 CHF 6.85

$7.43 CHF 5.99

14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.78

$2.18 CHF 1.76

1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 CHF 3.21

$3.38 CHF 2.72

17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CHF 3.47

$3.97 CHF 3.20

8.31%

Eggs

$7.60 CHF 6.13

$7.44 CHF 6.01

2.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.80 CHF 21.62

$29.03 CHF 23.43

-7.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.90 CHF 26.55

$33.05 CHF 26.67

-0.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.1 CHF 42.87

$50.7 CHF 40.94

4.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 CHF 2.89

$4.04 CHF 3.26

-11.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$2.42 CHF 1.95

3.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.40

$3.10 CHF 2.50

-4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 CHF 5.05

$4.97 CHF 4.01

25.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 2.05

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-3.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.87

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.10

$2.56 CHF 2.07

1.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.08

$1.15 CHF 0.93

15.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 CHF 8.83

$11.25 CHF 9.08

-2.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CHF 10.03

$13.11 CHF 10.58

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 CHF 2.70

$2.20 CHF 1.78

52.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 CHF 3.05

$2.29 CHF 1.85

65.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.91

$4.03 CHF 3.25

-10.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 CHF 68.6

$98.9 CHF 79.8

-14.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 CHF 5.94

$6.61 CHF 5.33

11.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.51 CHF 2.83

$4.16 CHF 3.35

-15.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.9 CHF 51.6

$79.5 CHF 64.2

-19.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.78

$2.21 CHF 1.79

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$40.1K CHF 32.4K

$40.2K CHF 32.4K

-0.11%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$49.5K CHF 40.0K

$39.3K CHF 31.8K

25.91%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$259 CHF 209

$251 CHF 202

3.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$47.91 CHF 38.67

$60.4 CHF 48.72

-20.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 CHF 51.8

$59.5 CHF 48.02

7.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.9 CHF 65.3

$86.5 CHF 69.8

-6.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.86 CHF 29.75

$46.78 CHF 37.75

-21.21%

Cinema Ticket

$24.51 CHF 19.78

$26.94 CHF 21.74

-9.02%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$3,517 CHF 2,838

$2,850 CHF 2,300

23.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.7K CHF 27.2K

$40.1K CHF 32.3K

-15.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 112

$140 CHF 113

-0.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.6 CHF 64.3

$60.7 CHF 48.96

31.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 134

$148 CHF 120

11.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$209 CHF 168

$201 CHF 162

3.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 CHF 1,899

$1,679 CHF 1,355

40.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 CHF 1,678

$1,493 CHF 1,205

39.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,650 CHF 3,753

$2,862 CHF 2,309

62.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,813 CHF 3,077

$2,474 CHF 1,996

54.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.7K CHF 18.3K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

55.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.7K CHF 12.7K

$12.4K CHF 9,986

27.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,297 CHF 5,888

$8,239 CHF 6,649

-11.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

2.09

17.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Geneva: July 26, 2026

Last update for Meilen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,353 in Geneva versus $1,679 in Meilen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Meilen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Geneva versus $146 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $678 vs $656 – making Meilen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Geneva vs Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,197 per month in Geneva and $5,223 in Meilen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meilen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Geneva and $146 in Meilen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,131 in Geneva and $3,482 in Meilen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Meilen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Meilen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.